One of the finest violinists and most significant artists of the 20th century, Yehudi Menuhin was a gentle spirit who gave music a profound emotional resonance. The most musically gifted violin prodigy of his generation, he devoted his life to

In many ways, the career of composer Chou Wen-chung (1923-2019) established a now familiar pattern of intellectuals, artists, and musicians escaping political turmoil in their native China to find opportunities in the United States. A native of Shandong Province, Chou

French soprano Natalie Dessay is known for her unusual commitment to exploring the theatrical possibilities offered by opera. An admired interpreter of bel canto and lyric heroines, Dessay initially made her name with coloratura showpieces. For many years, she has

A man in an oversized tuxedo emerges from backstage. He walks slowly but steadily, bows briefly with a stern, expressionless face, takes his seat and produces some of the most profound music on the piano in a dimly lit hall

The Maccabees, composed in Vienna between 1872-4, was Anton Rubinstein’s (1829-1894) most successful opera. Premiered on 17 April 1875 at the Hofoper in Berlin, reviewers considered opening night the greatest triumph the city had witnessed since L’Africaine ten years before.

Over the centuries, it has often been quite common for composers to endorse the role of music critics. Many composers, particularly in the past two centuries, have adopted this activity as one of their primaries. In fact, it is probably

There’s a situation that’s familiar to most humans on the planet – you’re feeling annoyed, angry, or anxious, and you can feel pressure on mental, emotional, and even physical levels until you hear a tune, the tune. Your favorite song

George Frideric Handel started work in his oratorio Jephtha on 21 January 1751. He was already well advanced in the score, setting the final chorus of Act 2, “How dark, O Lord, are thy decree,” when he was suddenly forced